


The Joke's On Us

by deputyrevelator



Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Graphic Description, Love, Not Canon Compliant, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-03-02 19:35:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18817597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deputyrevelator/pseuds/deputyrevelator
Summary: The radio crackled into life spitting static before a familiar voice escape from the receiver, vengeful and filled with rage. "I swear it John Seed, I will destroy her, I'll tear her into pieces. You'll be watching every second of it I'll make damn sure of that, and when I'm finished with her... you'll beg me to kill you."





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Trying a new format. Still trying to keep up with the million other fics I'm writing, also. Nothing is perfect.

**** Prologue  
**  
John**

The rolling Montana hills were lit by glowing sunlight on that beautiful July afternoon, the warm, fresh air bringing a dizzy high along with a cloudless, blue sky. The green trees looked almost like they'd been painted against their bright canvas, the landscape ever changing as the wheels of the open top land rover defender sped the vehicle down the road.

Usually the radio was tuned in, and John would have a choice from one of two radio stations, either he'd have to listen to the drivel of the Hope County resistance radio, or he could listen to the same old hymns from the choir on repeat. He'd heard them all a thousand times, and days like these were too good to pass up on the opportunity to drive fast with neither of those radio stations on. Instead the sound of Sweet was blasting out of the speakers and John sang merrily along to Fox On The Run.

There was a hunting rifle resting on the passenger seat next to him, it was a beautiful gunmetal barrel with a black oak handle, the cross of Eden's Gate emblazoned into the side of it. He pushed his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose and smiled to himself, enjoying a rare moment of calm as the playlist he'd selected came to an end. He listened to the the sound of the world passing him by as the engine of his defender purred.

Today he was hunting down by the river after hearing that there were some good sized Elk, he wanted the antlers. He knew a taxidermist, and although they weren't keen to join Eden's Gate, John still valued their expertise in preservation - especially seeing as he could no longer order from a catalogue.

Only recently, Joseph had forbid that John leave Montana. He believed that too much temptation lay outside of Hope County, especially for John who was easily led astray by temptation, he wanted his brothers obsessive shopping habit to come to an end. They had argued wildly about it just last month after Joseph finally cracked about his brothers excessive need to consume, he thought it had already been cleansed from him. He took John's cell phone and credit and debit cards, leaving him only with a radio device that connected directly with his own, telling him that 'family was the only thing he needed'.

He would pay the taxidermist with the cash he carried on him now, which was the smallest amount compared to what he had on those cards. Joseph's opinion was that money would soon be worthless, and John needed to disconnect from his obsession with it. He thought this was ironic seeing as Joseph had absolutely needed him in the beginning and he would've been worthless without his money. There would be no real estate without him, no guns, no vehicles, how would Joseph have possibly acquired those bunkers without him? He pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind, reminding himself that it was all for a reason and that the word of Joseph was the word of God. He would obey his brother knowing this.

John couldn't help but think, especially on a day like this, how nice it would've been to buy a jacuzzi or have a pool installed at his ranch. Surely he could find someone willing to build him a pool, he thought as he pulled down to the lake on the left hand side of the road. Rumour had it that this was where the Elk liked to cool off, he knew he would be there for a while and to compensate him for his troubles he'd brought along a few tins in a cooler with no real consideration of how they'd affect his aim. Of course, he wouldn't tell Joseph about them either.

When Joseph had sent him to confiscate the alcohol at the Spread Eagle in Fall's End, John had done so willingly. It had been months since he'd had a drink, and while he knew he was no longer addicted to drinking, he wasn't going to let the chance to stowaway some alcohol for himself slip by. After parking up, he'd settled on the flatbed at the back of his defender with his rifle by his side and a cold beer in his hand, feeling an instant buzz as the liquid pricked at the inside of his mouth while he savoured the taste.

In the distance there were a few smaller looking deer wandering, all of them female and none of them with antlers, he noticed that they seemed spooked by something. There was a small island in the centre of the lake, usually a good spot for animals to graze as the fauna and flora was rich there, but they were staying clear of it. John wanted to know why, so he picked up his rifle and walked slowly around the shallow water, following it closer to the island. The closer he got the more intrigued he became, an unnatural looking pile of something was gathered up at the waters edge.

It was only when he stood opposite the thing on the other side of the river that he lifted his sunglasses to look closer at it, his eyes narrowing as he did, before realising that this thing was a girl.


	2. Chapter 1 - Joseph 'Finders Keepers'

**Joseph.**   
  


"Do you recognise her? Do you know her face at all?" John urged his brother to come up with some sort of an answer or an explanation to the mystery of the girl laying on his guest bed.

Joseph stood in silence as he surveyed the girl, she was quite beautiful with shoulder length brown to blonde hair, long eyelashes and freckles dotting her lightly tan skin. One of the female followers had cleaned her up while she was still out cold, Joseph had rolled his eyes when John had exclaimed that he didn't want mud and river water all over his silk sheets. She now wore an old University of Princeton t shirt from John's closet, along with a pair of mens jogging shorts.

"Those are all the clothes that you had to dress her in, I'm assuming?" Joseph sighed at his brother, looking back at him over his shoulder. John was sat on a chez lounge in the corner of the room, shrugging and acting offended.

"I don't keep womens clothes here, I don't have anything nicer." John tutted.

"I'm surprised, I thought you may have had enough women here to have amassed a collection." Joseph pushed John's buttons as delicately as he could, but his little brother chose not to respond. Joseph smiled at that, it proved to him that John was slowly learning how not to be baited by anger. "What about identification, does she have anything?"

"Nothing at all, no wallet, keys, cards... but when she got cleaned up she wasn't showing any sign of injury or abuse. There was nothing, apart from that." John stepped up to join his brother, standing at his side to survey the girl again.

"Apart from that..." Joseph repeated softly, his fingers gently making contact with the skin on the inside of the girls arm, where a familiar marking was etched on her body.

"I didn't do that, Joseph. I've never seen her." John shook his head as he looked at the cross of Eden's Gate tattooed on her arm with confusion and an air of wonder.

"I believe you, brother. For now I need to seek guidance, she's here for a reason. I'll stay around for a while, if she wakes bring her down to the river, I'll be down by your marquee." Joseph placed his hand firmly on John's shoulder as he turned to leave the room and looked into his brothers bright blue eyes, a smile crept across Joseph's face. "John, you're doing well. Keep it up, brother, I'm proud of you."

"Thank you." John whispered, not returning Joseph's smile, but instead staring at the girl.

Joseph left the room, making his way down through John's overly extravagant ranch house, descending the stairs and heading toward the rear sliding doors that led to the grounds. Here there was a dirt path that would take him down to the river, as he walked he began to unbutton his shirt, wanting to feel the air on his body while he considered the girl and what her appearance might mean.

Under the white marquee at the river's edge were some benches where Joseph folded his clothes and placed them safely, keeping his trousers and yellow tinted sunglasses on as he sat on a large rock at the edge of the water.

The sun was starting to make it's way down behind the hills now as a shadow was cast over half of the river, Joseph found himself enjoying a patch of sunlight as he prayed, and he hoped to bask in it for at least another hour before the sun set.

He was unsure of how long he'd been sitting there when he heard footsteps crunching against gravel approach from behind, just one pair of feet that belonged to someone tall and weighted.

"Brother, good to see you." Joseph spoke with his eyes still closed and his position unchanged.

"You haven't looked at me yet, how do you know it's good to see me?" The eldest of the Seed's, Jacob, laughed, "I came to see about all the fuss, and to tell you the girl is awake."

"I felt it, I knew something had changed." Joseph took a deep breath in before he spoke.

"She knows everything except who she is. John is bringing her down, she recognised his voice, she felt calmed by him... of all people. She says she needs to speak to you." Jacob sighed, for a moment Joseph wondered if he were questioning the sensibility of the situation as he so often did. He was obedient like his brother John, but Jacob had a habit of asking more questions, wanting more explanations. Joseph always let him speak, knowing that co-operating with Jacob was key to getting through to him.

"I had a feeling that she might have been sent to me." Joseph smirked slightly, rising from the rock carefully he dressed himself, expecting the arrival of the girl.

"... Why?" Jacob asked after a long pause.

"The last time I heard the voice, it told me of the collapse. I haven't heard it since and it didn't tell me when. I've been waiting for a sign for so long..." Joseph mused, from the corner of his eye he could see Jacob shifting awkwardly, not knowing what to say next.

"I hope she doesn't disappoint you." Jacob finally managed.

Footsteps alerted the two brothers from up the path, they watched as John led the girl down the path and through the trees to the marquee at the waterside where John would conduct some of his cleansings. The white sheets floated on the breeze lazily, the sun still shining down on where they stood.

"Joseph..." John greeted his brother as he stopped in front of them with the girl, "We haven't even got as far as a name. There's nothing to tell." Joseph heard an air of disappointment hanging on John's words, as though he was failing.

"Child..." Joseph looked into her eyes, they were dark green with just a hint of hazel flashing through them. Her gaze strayed away from Joseph, he noticed her looking back to John repeatedly, so Joseph spoke again, "My brother said -"

"You're moving too slowly." The girl interrupted him, she spoke as though the words weren't her own, they seemed to tumble from her lips like they'd been rehearsed, "They're coming and you need to be more prepared or you risk losing everything you've built, including one another."

"What? What does that mean?" John laughed in shock and disbelief, looking between his brothers for them to share a similar reaction, however Joseph gave him a knowing look, one that John recognised as his cue to be silent.

"Who are we talking about, child?" Joseph asked, placing his hands gently on the girls arms, his proximity forcing John to step away from her.

"I can't tell you that because I don't know. I'm sorry. That's all I have, I don't even know who I am." The girl shook her head, her gaze straying from Joseph to John once more, "Thank you for helping me." She whispered. John went to speak, but Joseph cut him off.

"Shiloh," said the Father firmly, "You'll be known by that name, and you'll stay with Eden's Gate. We have more than enough room for you, and I believe God wanted us to find you."

There was silence that seemed to linger awkwardly in the air before the youngest of the brothers managed to get his words out. "She can stay here with me, I've got a guest room and -"

"Nonsense, we can take her to Faith." Joseph spoke over John.

"What? Why?" John's tone told Joseph that he'd offended him again, Joseph sighed with a sense of exasperation. He knew his younger brother and he was well aware that John would try to win over any girl that he took a shine to, Joseph could see that shine in his eye right at that moment.

"There's no need for your help right now John, Shiloh comes to us with a clean slate. You can't atone if there is nothing for you to atone for, she's without sin. Faith will take care of her." Joseph assured him.

"I'm going that way, I can make a diversion." Jacob offered, he looked at the girl suspiciously.

"Wait, do I get a say in this?" The girl spoke, "Who's to say I want to stay with any of you at all?"

Joseph looked at her intently, narrowing his eyes and lowering his brows at the girl as she stood there, all shiny and new but already making defiant gestures.

"You carry our cross, etched onto your skin. You know nothing, but you carry a message for me. This is exceptional, a gift... This is where you belong. You'll go with Jacob, he will take you to Faith, our sister. We'll speak again soon." Joseph turned his frown into a smile and gestured for Jacob to lead her away, she looked back over her shoulder as he did, glancing at John until she was out of sight.

John's head immediately dropped, his line of sight looking anywhere except in Joseph's direction.

"John?" Joseph addressed him, "You've no need to be upset, you did what you could and you brought her to me. There's no need for your help now."

"I understand." John spoke, still without looking at his brother.

"You can't play finders keepers with human lives, John."

"That's exactly what I do, every day, for you. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back out with my hunting rifle." John huffed and started on up the path away from Joseph who watched intently as he walked away into the cover of the trees.


	3. Chapter 2 - Shiloh 'Meeting with Faith'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A meeting with Faith.

**Shiloh.**  
  
  
"Your brother went to Princeton then, I take it?" Shiloh pulled at the t shirt John had given her to wear as she read the front, and asked Jacob one of many questions as they drove through the Holland Valley.

Jacob shook his head and sighed heavily. "I don't understand how you don't know anything about you... but you know Princeton, you know Montana, you know what a gun is, you know -"

"I cant explain it either, I'm... sorry? I don't even know if I have a family, or any... friends." Shiloh shuffled awkwardly in her seat, staring out of the window now, breathing in the fresh air.

"I'm sorry. My brother Joseph, he speaks to God and he can explain these things without needing to be rational and that's how he explained you. Of course I believe him, but sometimes... who gave you the message?" Jacob the question first this time, but Shiloh had to shake her head and disappoint him.

"I don't know, I just knew I had to give it?" She laughed, "It's ridiculous."

"Well, I guess we're your family now, kid. How old are you?" Jacob looked at her, trying to make a judgement call of his own.

"Oh I don't know..? That's really strange, isn't it?" Shiloh pulled a face as she thought, but she had absolutely no idea of the year in which she was born.

"Mmmm. I'd say... you gotta be thirty? You're not under twenty five and I wouldn't put you any older than John." The red-headed man contemplated her, umming and ahhing as he guessed.

"How old is John?" Shiloh asked innocently, her mind wandering back to the younger Seed brother and the smile he greeted her with when she first opened her eyes.

Jacob laughed, raising his eyebrows and shooting her a look.  
"He's thirty two, thirty three this year. What if we say that today is your birthday, huh? John found you today, Joseph named you today, I guess I get to say it's your birthday."

"I guess. Does that matter?" Sighing back at him, Shiloh shrugged.

"Nah. Not really." The mountain man shook his head decisively.

"So... Faith?" Shiloh began as she attempted to change the conversation, wondering what the fourth Seed was like and hoping it wasn't bad news, seeing as she wasn't given a choice in the matter.

"She's a good kid. I don't really know what Joseph wants to do with you. See, John recruits followers of Eden's Gate and his job is their cleansing and atonement for their sins - which Joseph said you couldn't do, because you had no sin. I handle our safety, there's a lot of people that don't want us around here so I train our soldiers..."

Shiloh interrupted Jacob, "So this is big?"

"This is pretty big. God spoke to Joseph, told him that the collapse was coming and that he needed to be ready for it, your message to him tells us that we aren't doing enough and that we need to up our game plan before it's too late. He thinks you've brought us a warning."

"The collapse?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

"The end of humanity as we know..." Jacob sighed, "Joseph should be telling you all this honestly, he rushed you away but I guess he was panicking, and so he's sent you to Faith instead."

"I feel like he just wanted to get me away from your brother." Shiloh laughed and Jacob reciprocated that laugh, almost in agreement.

"Pretty girls distract John, and he is a ridiculously charming gentleman, it's not difficult to fall for him. Joseph is trying to get him on the right path, he kicked the drugs, booze..."

"I just felt like we could've got along, he made me feel safe, he was there first."

"Sorry kid. He was the one who found you, he brought you to us and kept you from harm." Jacob apologised for his brother as if he didn't really know what else to say.

"I know, and I'm grateful... what about Faith? Who is she?"

"She..." Jacob sighed heavily, "She looks after the congregation."

"So I'll be safe with Faith, right?"

"You will. You wouldn't be suited to fighting for me."

Jacob pulled up a stone's throw away from the front of what appeared to be an opening in the side of a rock face overlooking a beautiful part of the valley, close to the river. There was a girl waiting outside already, she had dirty blonde hair and wore a white dress, adorned with pretty flowers in all different pink hues. Faith smiled as Shiloh stepped down out of the vehicle and held her arms open to embrace her.

"Welcome," Her voice was sickly sweet, "The Father has already contacted me, he's told me everything, it's so wonderful that John found you and brought you home to us." Shiloh noticed that she even had the scent of flowers on her as she pulled away from her hold.

"She's all yours." Jacob nodded to Faith, she grinned back at him.

"Shiloh, am I right? You're so beautiful, Joseph wasn't wrong - I can't wait to show you around! It's my job to look after you and to tell you everything about the Father and Project Eden's Gate." Faith was like a one of those electronic tour guides that you can buy at monuments, after a while you stop listening to them, Shiloh mused silently before wondering how she even knew what an electronic tour guide was. She decided she wouldn't question her knowledge any longer, after all the only thing she was clueless about was herself.

"It would help to know what's going on, especially seeing as Joseph -"

"The Father." Faith cut Shiloh off, correcting her with a smile still emblazoned across her face.

"...seems to think I'm some kind of a messenger." Shiloh finished as Faith abruptly corrected her, she turned to look at Jacob who had already started the engine of his motor and was about to drive away.

There was silence for a moment as Shiloh contemplated the Seed family in her head. Joseph 'The Father' Seed was clearly the linchpin, the reason behind Project Eden's Gate, his siblings were all behind him no matter what, their bond was strong. Faith Seed appeared to be quite devoted, clearly Joseph's word meant a lot to her. Jacob Seed who had been good company on the ride over, was loyal though skeptical, Shiloh felt that maybe he didn't care what his brother believed but he would follow him regardless. John Seed appeared to be slightly fearful of Joseph although he followed his brothers command like the others.

Shiloh had only managed to have a short conversation with John when she awoke, but during those 30-or-so minutes, he was the only person so far to have asked her about her. He had calmed her down, comforted her, asked her if she was okay, hurt, afraid and had tried to offer some kind of solution for those things - even if that solution was just a cup of tea and some chocolate biscuits. He had explained the situation and tried to help her to remember what may have happened, but nothing came to her apart from knowing that she needed to speak to Joseph.

"Come with me," Faith beckoned for Shiloh to follow, "I'm going to call you Shy. We'll get a drink and then we can talk."

"Sure." Shiloh agreed, following Faith into the strangest structure she could possibly think to enter. Everything was made of metal, but there were plants growing everywhere, giving off some hazy pollen that made the air look dusty.

"I can tell you're a bit apprehensive, but there's no need to be. I promise that all your questions will be answered, we'll make you feel like you're home." Faith reassured Shiloh, but she was still unsure of what to think.

Faith led her through corridors and finally down some stairs into a large room full of tables and chairs, she could only assume by the volume of people that it was a dining hall. There were men, women and children of all ages, some just sitting around having conversations, some carrying trays of food or drinks and even some cleaning weapons. They all wore similar clothing, except for those with the guns, who seemed to be a little more armoured.

"Don't mind them, here... this is a good place. Take a seat, I'll be right back." Faith skipped off toward the food station while Shiloh sat down in waiting, surveying the hall she noticed that all the men seemed to sport beards as well as guns. Two children chased one another around a bench a few tables away, which made Shiloh smile. She was sure she didn't have any children, she took a good look at herself before she left John's guest room and found no stretch marks or scarring, nothing to indicate a family of her own.

Faith returned quickly to the table, placing a china mug down in front of Shiloh and smiling, "It's tea, I hope that's okay?"

"That's great, thank you." Shiloh nodded and smiled back at Faith before letting out a heavy sigh, "So what can you tell me? John offered me to stay with him, but Joseph wouldn't allow it and sent me here. So what's the story?"

"Oh John," Faith laughed, "My brother is a sweetheart, he has good intentions but sometimes he gets led astray. He's done so much for us, we wouldn't have all of this without him, he's the cleverest Seed."

"Right. What about you?" Shiloh asked with an air of sarcasm, but Faith dodged the question.

"The Father asked me to help you understand Project Eden's Gate, I got a radio call before you came in. Years ago Joseph Seed heard the voice, the voice of the creator, it told him many things. It told him to collect resources, gather up the masses and take shelter from the collapse. All these people you see have been saved, when it happens they will be sheltered and when the dust settles we'll rise from the ashes. It's imminent, your arrival was a warning to The Father - you told him that they were coming and that this is it, we need to move faster." Faith gushed, her love for the Project evident in her words. Shiloh took a large swig from the mug of tea ad noticed Faith smiling.

"And the collapse?" Shiloh pushed for more.

"Is the end. The end of the world as we know it. We are prepared for it, we have so many resources, we're trying to save as many people as we can. Not everyone in Hope County is on our side, but look around you! We have thousands of people, we follow The Father to the end, because we know he will save us. You're part of that now, if you hadn't come..."

"So," Shiloh drank more of the tea in front of her, her mouth feeling drier as she did, "You believe that we'll be safe if we do as Joseph tells us?"

"So do you, just look at that mark." Faith reached forward to Shiloh, pulling up the sleeve of her shirt to remind her of the mysterious tattoo that she had no recollection of, "That's a sign in itself, it's the cross of Eden's Gate and it was on you when they found you. Shy, you're one of us. It was meant to be!"

Shiloh felt her pulse quickening as some kind of euphoria seemed to take over her body, she couldn't identify the feeling but it was as though her body was numb but hyper sensitive all at once.

"Here, I have a gift for you," Faith continued as Shiloh finished off her tea in an attempt to stop her mouth feeling so dry, but this only amplified the strange sensation running through her body, "This is will answer any question you might have."

Faith handed her a book, it was bound in hardback with a white cover and in gold it bore the cross of Eden's Gate on it's front and spine.

"I feel a little nauseous." Shiloh mumbled to herself, referring to the giddiness in her head, but Faith had heard her and seemingly ignored her.

"It's a lot to take in but you'll understand. When you see Joseph speak at sermon, it'll make sense." Faith instructed, "You'll come with me tomorrow, and you'll see clearer than you ever thought you could."


	4. Chapter 3 - John - After the Sermon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John argues for the chance to take Shiloh back to the ranch and away from Faith's Bliss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for a huge delay - work is killing me and I've been so down, and I hate all my writing. I hope you guys don't. Thank you x

John  
  
"I hear that you were jealous of my newest recruit." Faith's words bore into his skull like a bad hangover settling in for the day, he let out a loud sigh that turned into a laugh.

"You must have heard wrong." John tried to get one over on his sister, even though he was lying and that he had quite liked the idea of having the mysterious girl with him. Arguing with The Father over his decision had been fruitless and the girl was sent to Faith, much to John's disappointment. He couldn't get it out of his head that Faith would ruin her, fuel her with so much bliss that she became nothing but a shell. In fact, he'd already caught sight of her during Joseph's sermon and he could tell it had already begun, there was a vacant expression glazed over her face as she sat and listened quietly.

"I don't think I heard wrong John. Not every day do you find them lying on the ground out cold with no memory, and you weren't... tempted?" Faith's voice was cold and implied something that John absolutely abhorred, his voice began to rise as did his temper.

"What are you trying to say Faith? I'll admit that I'm the first person to notice a pretty girl, but I would never -"

"Relax John, it was just a joke." Faith quickly interrupted, cutting him off as they both noticed Joseph's head swivel in their direction, he shot them a knowing look as he tried to walk through the church and speak to members of the congregation before they left the service.

"I find your sense of humor aiming pretty fucking low, Faith." John spat, he twisted his watch around his wrist quickly as a distraction to his sisters unfunny joke, looking away from her so that she couldn't see his anger as he frowned. She'd only end up skipping off to Joseph to say that he wasn't coping well and was incapable of controlling his emotions if he bit the bait.

"Have you seen her today?" Faith teased, continuing to rile John up as best as she could. She had it in for him this morning, he thought.

"How much did you give her?" John stared at Shiloh, she was sat in the third row back from the front at the very end of the pew and looked like a lost lamb amongst a flock of wolves. It was obvious enough that Faith had plied her with bliss somehow.

"Enough." Faith smiled, showing her perfect teeth that John was holding back from knocking out in a fury. He realised that he probably needed to keep working on his temper, but thinking it would hurt.

"I don't think she needed it, I think she would've come around on her own..." He tried to argue with his sister, but realised it was moot and that he'd get nowhere. They always said that he was the spoilt, selfish Seed, however he begged to differ when Faith acted like such a brat.

"Clearly that isn't what Joseph thought." She sang quietly, just loud enough for John to hear her. He shook his head, taking a deep breath before he stepped down from the podium and headed towards Shiloh.

He could see that she noticed him as he approached her, and she smiled as he reached the end of the pew and crouched to her level. This reassured him.

"John..." She said hazily, he became immediately aware of himself and the way he looked as he smoothed out his beard.

"How are you, are you feeling okay?" John smiled at her, simultaneously removing the sunglasses perched on top of his head to sweep back his hair before repositioning the glasses again.

"It's strange, I feel like I'm going to collapse any second. I know that I'm anxious but I don't feel it, I just feel sick, but I guess I'm okay." She complained, but sure enough as he thought, he could see she was completely unaware of the bliss in her system.

"You look a bit pale. Are you sure you're alright?" John asked her gently. Silently he admitted to himself that his concern was possibly stemming from a surge of lust, and he hated to think that his siblings were right. John never usually cared much for others, he was always quite self absorbed, but something felt different this time. If he was being honest, he'd felt that since they first spoke at his ranch, since he'd laid eyes on her pretty face and felt a jolt of empathy for her unfortunate story.

"No, actually. They just gave me tea and water and told me that I had to come here this morning. Even drinking made me feel worse."

"We're nearly done here for today, I'll see what I can do for you..." John felt a hand clamp around his shoulder with some force, he looked around to see Joseph standing over him, beckoning him to rise.

"John..." His brother began, but John cut him off quickly.

"She hasn't given her any food, Joseph. Faith has her high on bliss and it's making her sick."

"What did I tell you John, you have to let go. There's no need for you to be concerned with her." Joseph spoke to John under his breath in almost a whisper.

"She isn't like the others, think about the circumstances. Surely that makes her different?"

"What would you do with any other, John? A cleansing, and then afterwards would they make it through your inquisition or would they end up in your furnace? Hung from the ceiling? Pinned to the wall? Is she so different to those women?" John was silent, closing his eyes for a moment to gather himself having no response to his brother, "I thought as much, it's just lust rearing it's ugly head, trying to pull you in. You know this."

"No. I'm sorry but you're wrong about this. You're going to let Faith ruin her after she brought that message? You said she was a gift, you said she belonged with us." John spoke in a rushed voice, like there was a sense of urgency in what he said.

"John..." Joseph attempted to quiet him, but John wouldn't allow it.

"Don't treat her like fodder, she'll lose her mind with Faith and then what good is she? What if she has a higher purpose? I'm doing all I can to be better for you, give me this chance."

"Enough, John. I see your point."

"And?" John ushered his brother to give him some kind of an answer, but Joseph instead turned and walked toward Faith. Taking a deep breath in and out John sighed before turning back to the girl he'd found down by the lake.

"Is everything okay?" Shiloh asked tentatively.

"Absolutely, just stay here, I'll be back." John reassured her before starting off after hs brother.

He approached Joseph and Faith who were in a heated conversation, Faith turned her head to shoot John a look before snapping her line of sight back to Joseph.

"He doesn't exactly take good care of people, that's why you asked me, you know I'll look after her."

"If I might..." Jacob's voice suddenly appeared from over John's shoulder, he was laughing at the commotion, "She wanted to stay with John, she said she felt very comfortable with him."

"Jacob, really?" Faith tutted disapprovingly of the eldest Seed brothers contribution to the conversation.

"I believe I owe it to John to show him trust. He fought a hard battle detaching from sins in the past, drugs and alcohol were his downfall but lets not forget that the sin went further than that..." Joseph looked to John with solemn eyes.

"What is this? Intervention part two? Let's pick on John day?" John mumbled, but his sarcasm was ignored by everyone.

"Maybe you're right, John. Maybe there is a higher purpose, after all you did find her. It's time I had some faith in you."

"She'll feel super comfortable with you at your bunker, with all your corpses." Faith raised her eyebrows as she threw a dose of sarcasm in John's direction.

"I'm not going to take her to my bunker. That's too much." John glanced back over his shoulder at Shiloh and felt thankful that she was looking away from their little congregation.

"You dog." Jacob laughed and clapped John on the shoulder until he caught sight of Joseph's stare, his hand fell away from John as he turned to walk off.

"John, can I trust you?" Joseph reiterated, his seriousness apparent in his expression which was somewhere between uncertainty and hopefulness.

"Yes." John quickly broke away from them before they had a chance to say anything more, almost flying down off the podium with a little too much enthusiasm in his step before returning to Shiloh's side.

"I have an offer for you." He began, an almost awkward smile broke across his face as his eyes met hers.

"Go on..?" She said with a soft curiosity.

"If you want to, instead of staying in an underground tin can, you could come back to the ranch and stay there instead?" John tried his hardest not to make it sound like a proposition, but it didn't really work. He couldn't recall a time before that when asking 'come back to my place' was ever with innocence and good intention.

"Is there a catch?" Of course, John could see a hint of skepticism underlying her question, which was good as it led him to believe that the bliss wasn't holding her fast and would wear off quickly.

"No, there's not, it's an honest offer. I had a feeling that yesterday you didn't want to leave, and when you said you didn't feel too great then I figured you could do with being away from a crowded bunker."

"Then yes, sleeping on a blanket on a metal floor and being alone for nine hours with no food wasn't exactly comfortable. Not that I don't appreciate being saved..."

"I know you appreciate it, he should've let you stay with me. No metal floor, fresh air and clean sheets whenever you want them. Does that sound better?"

Shiloh nodded in agreement, making John smile again as he motioned for her to follow him. He noticed her looking over his shoulder quickly realising that they'd been joined by Joseph and Jacob. Faith was leaning on a plinth up on the podium, clearly not interested in wishing them a farewell.

"I have to thank you, Jacob. You were very kind to me yesterday." She looked to Joseph with an air of tentativeness, "I hope it doesn't offend you that I'd choose the ranch house over the bunker, I just-"

"No need to apologise..." Joseph raised a hand for her to stop, "I didn't consider that, as your saviour, John may have been the person you felt more comfortable with. Without any memories of your past, it could even be said that he's the first person you've ever seen... Jacob, remind me what they call it when animals do that?"

"It's... uh, imprinting." Jacob, not directly in Joseph's eyeline, raised an eyebrow in confusion as to the relevance of the question.

"Imprinting, emotionally attaching yourself to the first thing you see... interesting. You'll certainly be comfortable at the ranch, and if you do remember anything then I ask you to let me know, immediately." Joseph's eyes flicked from Shiloh to John quickly, his last words aimed at his brother. John inhaled deeply, nodding sheepishly and he breathed out through his nose and watched as Joseph turned and walked away, leaving the church.

"Is he upset about something?" John felt Shiloh touch his arm as she asked a question, almost waking him from the trance he was in as he had watched his brother.

"He's not happy that you like me." John murmured as the sound of Faith's footsteps echoed down the quietened church hall, she walked quickly as though she were trying to catch up on Joseph.

"Why not?" Shiloh innocently sought answer from John, though if he was honest he wasn't one hundred percent sure of what was going through Joseph's mind.

"It's not my job to be liked, not normally." Settling for an uninformative answer, John turned and smiled at Shiloh.

"Well then I guess this is a promotion." She replied, returning his smile as she seemed to relax a little, tension no longer apparent as she stood up straight.

John was torn in that moment. Recruiting followers was a strict process and one that he was used to having practised it so many times, but this wasn't part of that process.

Joseph had already told John that there would be no need for cleansing or atonement, but he wondered what then made her different? The rational side of him tried to reason that this could be explained, that she was not some miracle but a girl with memory loss who somehow had the sigil of Eden's Gate already marked on her skin. Yet John was devoted to his brother, questioning him wasn't something he would dare to do.

Sometimes all John had were his thoughts, the things he could not say out loud or act on would be concealed within his mind and considered only in secret. One of those thoughts was how pretty this girl was, this girl who had mysteriously appeared, who he had found and who wanted his company.

John motioned for her to walk with him, and they exited the church together quietly.


End file.
